Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK, despite spending years criticising their treatment by the Royal Family in lucrative Oprah and Netflix deals. Their move risks a backlash from the British public against the monarchy, according to analysis by Rebecca Russell, Deputy Royal Editor.
There is already confusion over whether the taxpayer will fund their security, and whether they should at all. At a time when King Charles is still receiving cancer treatment, his youngest son may continue to cause problems.
Disruption to Royal Life
Prince Harry has loudly and often told us exactly what he thinks of the monarchy and his family. The plans may stand at the moment that there is not going to be a resurrection of the 'half-in/half-out' deal the Duke and Duchess once desperately pined for, but who can possibly say what the future holds?
Harry may not be eyeing up a full return to royal duties, and the benefit of closeness will be keenly felt by charities he still supports, such as Wellchild, the Invictus Games and Scotty's Little Soldiers. However, the impact he'll have elsewhere is a concern.
Unwritten Rules Under Threat
The Royal Family's very survival rests on unwritten rules followed for centuries: members of the Firm are lifted by extraordinary hereditary privilege in exchange for lifelong public service. Those are the exact principles the Sussexes have spent the last six years attempting to untangle.
They won't ever be full-time working royals again, and it's doubtful that would ever be accepted by either side. But Prince Harry's presence will be disruptive to the royals' daily life, whether he means it or not.
Pattern of Overshadowing
The couple have never shied away from a rebrand, an ill-judged statement, or a new appearance right as the British royals appear on home turf. The number of times Harry and Meghan, together or separately, have done this is almost uncountable, and it's an ugly trend.
Whether it is overshadowing someone's birthday or dropping an update at the exact moment a huge public appearance begins, it's not just a coincidence; it's the War of the Waleses 2.0. With the couple on UK soil for several weeks at a time, they will be undeniably harder to ignore, regardless of whether there is active competition for coverage.
Impartiality Concerns
Re-integrating two highly politicised celebrities into the equation destroys the expectation of royal impartiality. We know what these two think all too well. For six years, the Sussexes relied on distance to launch their attacks, but for a couple who attract attention without uttering a single word, the need for silence isn't natural, especially when every school drop-off and charity visit will be weighed against the Palace diary.
In a time where quiet stability is surely what's wanted after a challenging year for the family, having its most unpredictable family members back on home turf could make for a deeply uncomfortable future.
